Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 1

Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय उवाच इति ते वर्णित: क्षत्त: कालाख्य: परमात्मन: । महिमा वेदगर्भोऽथ यथास्राक्षीन्निबोध मे ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

maitreya uvāca iti te varṇitaḥ kṣattaḥ kālākhyaḥ paramātmanaḥ mahimā veda-garbho ’tha yathāsrākṣīn nibodha me

Translation

Śrī Maitreya said: O learned Vidura, thus far I have described to you the glory of the Supreme Lord in His feature as kāla, time. Now hear from me how He created Brahmā, the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge.

Synonyms

• maitreyaḥ: Maitreya
• maitreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया) or Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); enclitic pronoun; here: 'to you' (caturthī)

• varṇitaḥ: has been described
• varṇitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: varṇita (कृदन्त; √varṇ)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle; Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāla-ākhyaḥ; passive sense 'has been described'

• kṣattaḥ: O Vidura (kṣattā)
• kṣattaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (8th/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• kāla-ākhyaḥ: named Time
• kāla-ākhyaḥ: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: kāla iti ākhyaḥ (named 'Time')

• paramātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• paramātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: paramaḥ ātmā

• mahimā: the glory
• mahimā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• veda-garbhaḥ: Veda-garbha (Brahmā)
• veda-garbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vedānāṁ garbhaḥ / veda-garbha (Brahmā)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction/particle (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक)

• yathā: as; how
• yathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• asrākṣīt: created
• asrākṣīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; augment a-; form: asrākṣīt

• nibodha: understand; learn
• nibodha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ni- prefix

• me: from me / my
• me: Apādāna/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी) or Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; enclitic; here: 'from me' sense intended as speaker-reference (genitive: 'my')

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Vidura
• Paramatma
• Brahma (Vedagarbha)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Paramatma as Time (Kāla)?

This verse summarizes that the Supreme Soul’s greatness is also revealed as Kāla—Time—who governs change and the unfolding of creation.

Why did Maitreya speak about Brahmā (Vedagarbha) creating the universe?

After explaining the Lord’s power as Time, Maitreya transitions the discussion for Vidura to the next topic: how Brahmā, empowered by the Supreme, proceeds with secondary creation.

Practical application of seeing God as Time in modern life?

Remembering the Lord as Time helps one prioritize dharma and devotion, reduce attachment to temporary gains, and live with urgency for spiritual practice.